Android Update Impact on European Search Marketing

Google announced changes to Android that may affect it’s search and browser dominance in Europe. Every Android user in Europe will soon be asked to make a choice of what browser and search service the users wishes to use.

Impact to Search Marketing

The update will be rolling out over the coming weeks. It will impact current and new Android device users.

It may be useful to follow European user trends. Significant changes may impact how search marketing from PPC to organic search is conducted.

That said, there is reason to believe that Google’s implementation of the choice prompt is engineered to result in the least amount of responses. Keep reading to see how Google is doing this.

Why is Google Providing Europeans a Choice?

The coming option to choose non-Google browser and search services were made in order to comply with a European Commission ruling from 2018.

According to Google:

“Two screens will surface: one for search apps and another for browsers, each containing a total of five apps, including any that are already installed. Apps that are not already installed on the device will be included based on their popularity and shown in a random order.”

Here is a screenshot of a sample screen:

This is a screenshot of of an example Google provided of what the screens will look like when European users are asked to choose their default browser and search services.

If a user chooses another search service, the next time they open Chrome, the user will be asked if they wish to change their default search service.

Is the Choice Prompt Too Small?

The above screenshot is a close up of the prompt that users will be confronted with. The prompt does not fill the entire screen. It’s just a small bar at the bottom of the screen.

Here is what the entire screen will look like:

This screenshot is of the main screen of a mobile device. The choice prompt occupies a small portion of the bottom of the screen where the user will not be looking.

Presumably, a user will be focused on the task at hand. If the prompt shows up on the home screen, will the user ignore it since their task at the moment is to choose an app from the home screen?

Will the choice prompt be persistent and not go away until the user makes a choice? Google’s announcement did not indicate.

Android Choice Prompt is for Europe Only

The new prompt screen will appear only in Europe. This is because Google is being forced to do this to comply with the European Commission.

According to Google:

“These changes are being made in response to feedback from the European Commission. We will be evolving the implementation over time.”

Choice is good for the consumer. That’s why your local supermarket sells Cheerios, Lucky Charms and Cascadian Farms Organic cereal.

Google says that their focus is on what’s good for the user. It’s in their don’t be evil code of conduct.

“1. Serve Our Users

Our users value Google not only because we deliver great products and services, but because we hold ourselves to a higher standard in how we treat users and operate more generally.”

Takeaways:

Making the choice prompt smaller (instead of a full page prompt) makes it appear as if Google engineered the prompt to be overlooked.

Not rolling out the choice prompt in America makes it appear to confirm that this is something Google is forced to do, not something it wants to do.